A data center may be defined as a location, for instance, a room that houses computer systems arranged in a number of racks. A standard rack, for instance, an electronics cabinet, is defined as an Electronics Industry Association (EIA) enclosure, 78 in. (2 meters) wide, 24 in. (0.61 meter) wide and 30 in. (0.76 meter) deep. These racks are configured to house a number of computer systems, about forty (40) systems, with future configurations of racks being designed to accommodate 200 or more systems. The computer systems typically dissipate relatively significant amounts of heat during the operation of the respective components. For example, a typical computer system comprising multiple microprocessors may dissipate approximately 250 W of power. Thus, a rack containing forty (40) computer systems of this type may dissipate approximately 10 KW of power.
Some of the racks contained in the data center may dissipate greater levels of heat as compared to other racks in the data center. This may occur, for instance, in situations where some of the racks contain greater densities of computer systems or a larger number of computer systems that are operating at higher levels. Conventional data centers are typically equipped with a raised floor with static ventilation tiles configured to provide cool air to the computer systems from a pressurized plenum in the space below the raised floor. In most instances, the level and temperature of the airflow supplied through the ventilation tiles is the same or similar for all of the ventilation tiles. As such, those racks that dissipate greater levels of heat often receive cooling airflow that is insufficient to maintain the temperatures of the computer systems contained therein within predefined parameters. This may lead to a shutdown or damage to the computer systems.
It would thus be desirable to ensure that the computer systems in the racks receive airflow at sufficient levels and at adequate temperatures.